New Fairfield artist's work on exhibit

News-Times, The (Danbury, CT), Heidi Linnell SPECIAL TO THE NEWS-TIMES

Published
12:00 am EST, Friday, April 2, 2004

Art is a way of life for Florence Froeder, who teaches in her home-studio overlooking Candlewood Lake in New Fairfield. The view from her studio is breathtaking, and her enthusiasm for creating art is contagious among the students who attend her painting classes.

You can see the works of this award-winning artist now at the King

Century 21
Realty office in New Fairfield. Nineteen of her watercolor and acrylic paintings are on display through April 18. Century 21 owners Ed and
Pat Kelly
are hosting the special solo exhibit as part of a growing support for the arts in New Fairfield.

A versatile artist, Froeder's work reflects her interest in florals, homes with Victorian flavor, landscapes, and animals as favorite subjects. Her works are exhibited at group and corporate shows and she has received awards from Richter Arts in Danbury, the

While all the pieces in this show are beautiful, this writer has some personal favorites. One is the painting of an adorable calico cat leaning against a broom while napping. The cat looks so real it seems you could reach out and pet her. Other favorites include one of a vibrant blue bouquet of irises, and another of a charming home in the country with a path of flowers leading to the door. That one is so inviting, it makes you want to sit on the front porch and enjoy the view. --photo1L--

Painting mostly in oil and acrylic mediums, Froeder's interest in watercolors was sparked at a workshop with AWS (American Watercolor Society) artist

Froeder said the fluidity of watercolor and its transparent aspects provided new techniques to explore that made the medium versatile and challenging, unlike any other. It has since become her favored medium. Froeder has had four solo shows and is represented by the
Barn Gallery
in New Fairfield.

Froeder was born in Brooklyn, N.Y. She has been drawing and painting since her early teens. At 16 she won third prize at the Metropolitan Opera Guild Costume Design Competition; it was for a costume for the main character in the opera "Faust." She also received a monetary award for being selected as a finalist in the annual nationwide "Seventeen" magazine art competition.

With four years of formal art training at New York City schools, Froeder earned a scholarship to the Cartoonists and Illustrators School of N.Y.C., where she studied illustration. As a young artist, she worked as a sketch colorist for a fashion design studio. After a move to Connecticut with her husband, she took a position in the
Perkin Elmer Corporation Art Department
as an assistant on the "Sky Lab" space project. "We called it the 'Spy in the Sky,' " she recalled.

Froeder continued painting while she worked full time. About seven years ago, when she began concentrating on watercolors, she decided to exhibit more and eventually began teaching classes. Her students have been all ages, some as young as 14. Others are in their 70s.

"My students keep me on top of everything," she said. "There are always challenging questions to solve as students approach their artwork. There's always a solution; correcting mistakes is part of learning."

Froeder says creating artwork should be fun. "What I like to instill in people who fantasize about painting is that they shouldn't waste time thinking they can't do it because as soon as they say they have no talent and they can't do it, they won't."

Doubting yourself is the recipe for failure, she said. "I try to keep my students excited about painting and I tell them not to worry about making mistakes because mistakes are part of learning; everyone has to start somewhere."

The public is invited to view the exhibit at the King Century 21 Office, Village Green, Rte. 37 in New Fairfield (next to Dunkin' Donuts). The show runs until April 18. Hours are Monday through Saturday from 10 to 4 p.m. and Sunday noon to 4 p.m. For more information call Froeder at 203/746-3077.